diamond geezer

Thursday, April 20, 2006

golden gate geezer(day 4)

For size and sheer variety, GoldenGatePark is probably the greatest urban park in the world. It's bigger than (for example) Hyde Park, more attraction-packed than (for example) Regent's Park and far more attractive than (for example) Green Park. Golden Gate Park is a massive three miles long and half a mile wide, stretching all the way from the Pacific coast to the middle of the city. It was set out in the late 19th century with winding roads and wooded paths, and it's really quite enchanting. There are windmills, a herd of bison, tennis courts, fishing lakes, a golf course, ponds, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, a botanical garden and even a big rocky hill in the middle, There's also a sports arena, an art museum, a Japanese Tea Garden, a Chinese temple and an ornate floral hothouse (complete with butterflies). Enough to keep me busy anyway, as I took a stroll all the way through the park yesterday afternoon. It proved a great day to have chosen - warm and sunny but also (being midweek) relatively free from locals and tourists. I should, however, perhaps have worn sunblock - my face is attempting to turn the same colour as the Golden Gate Bridge.